J11 – 9/9/2001

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9^th / DAY 11

  10km downhill toget to the bridge Pampas, we cross the rio Pampas, then 65km uphill from 2030m to an altitude of 4200m where we’ll sleep tonight. Roller coaster day. Succession of climbs and descents between 2000m and 4300m in altitude to Cusco. The stage is particularly difficult. Today’s words are: “ You must  be really determined to manage that”.Serge keeps thinking of his goal RIO.

It’s 35°, it’s boiling hot. Serge wears the local hat, a red Bandana, wet on the inside to give him some freshness and to protect him from the UV.He has sunburn on the left side of his neck. The luminosity here is very strong and even when it’s cold, we must protect ourselves.

Serge’s just had a chat with English people on a motorbike and in a four wheel-drive. They’re travelling from Cape Horn to Alaska, 25 000km. It’s the kind of meeting which makes your day.

Oppressive heat, flies and mosquitoes keep pestering us, we easily get irritable.